At some extent, we may reach into a moment when we have love-hate relationship with shopping. Who can resist from the joy of shopping, especially where discount and new arrival items are everywhere? But if we cannot control it, you may have unhealthy habit with shopping. So, how to manage it and ensure you will not overspend your money to shop?
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Make a shopping wish-list
It looks like trivial things. But the fact is, any spending money activities without clear purpose will only end up by cluttering your finance with something you will never use it. Since money is not easily earned and your time is priceless, be a smart shopper. At least, prepare what you want or what you need right before you go shopping. Recheck your closet and do not buy something you already have.
Once you enter your favorite shop or e-commerce, use that list as your only guidance.
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Set the limit
The biggest reason why people tend to spend more money is because they do not set limitation at all. As long as they know there is few penny left on wallet or card, it is okay to add more items into your cart. Actually, it is not smart and frivolous action. Limitation is great to set boundaries so you do not shop more than you can afford.
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Cash is better than card
No one can deny if debit/credit card or e-wallet brings you huge easiness and convenience while shopping. The only problem is, paying without cash sometimes feels like unreal. No wonder if according recent studies, people tend to spend 20 to 50 higher with card compared to cash. On the other hand, the debt and payment fees will haunt you for weeks or months later.
Paying cash also the easiest way to set limit. When your cash is out, you will automatically shop and think twice or thrice to spend more than budget.
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Do not have shopping partner
Believe it or not, your shopping partner is your potentially biggest partner in crime. Most likely, they will unconsciously urge us to shop something out of our needs.
No matter their motives, whether it is about competition or just want to dispense their sense of fashion through us, bear in mind that the only person who have to hold up the consequences is us. So if you want to ask your friend to shop together, is it a social activity or you really need to shop something. If the first, then you have to withstand yourselves to merely do window shopping or buying snacks you can afford. If still want to buy something, make sure you stick with your shopping-list.
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Shopping is not a mechanism to loose your wrath or upset
If we are controlled by unstable emotion, most like this emotion also will control our shopping behavior. If you do not want to over spend, do not shopping while you are in stress. Do something else first to neutralize your emotion. So your buying choice will more make sense.
